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Samajwadi Party founder and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav, who contributed Rs 11 lakh to the Ram Temple fund, has refused to 'take responsibility for her family's past actions'.
Speaking about firing on karsevaks in 1990 when her father-in-law was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and the recent statement of her brother-in-law Akhilesh Yadav, who called the donation collectors for Ram Temple fund as 'chanda-jeevis', Aparna Yadav said, "I don't want to comment on what happened during Netaji's (Mulayam Singh Yadav) tenure, but past never equals to the future. We are present and future.
"I contributed from my own free will. I can't take responsibility for my family's actions. I believe that our coming generations should be Ram devotees."
Claiming that her ancestors fought for Ram Janmabhoomi, she said, "Lord Ram defines the character of our nation I believe it is every Indian's basic responsibility to come forward and donate as much as possible.
"I believe whoever has not donated yet should come forward and do so. Today, I, on behalf of my people, collected Rs 11 lakh as our contribution."
Prashant Bhatia, Provincial Officer, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Awadh Province, who collected the amount from Aparna Yadav on behalf of Ram Janambhoomi trust said the karsevaks are reaching every household in the country to get a contribution for the Ram Temple.
"We are reaching people beyond religion, caste and party lines. And that's why we are here," he said.
On been called 'chanda-jeevi' by Akhilesh, Bhatia said, "This is not a donation, it is surrender to the lord. We can't donate to the Lord, he owns everything. Calling it donation is wrong."